As any reader of this blog knows, I absolutely adore history. But despite seeing Roman ruins like Palatine Hill in Rome and the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, I was never terribly interested in Ancient Rome. Jerash, Jordan, changed that. Jerash is the most impressive Roman ruin I’ve ever seen; a 2,000-year old Greco-Roman city complete with a chariot-racing track and an Artemis temple. What … Read more
Ever wonder what au pair agencies look for? Here CatherineRose, an American who is currently teaching English in France, shares the five most important things au pair agencies look for. It can be difficult for non-US citizens to live in the States for an extended period of time. You might come over as an exchange student, but … Read more
Since I moved to Denver, I’ve been posting monthly updates about the ups and downs of life out west: check out month 1, months 2&3, months 4&5 and month 6 here. Most of these photos are from Instagram, @ashleyabroad– find me there for travel inspiration and mountain pics! I hate to be such a blogging cliché, but here goes- I can’t … Read more
Today Emily, who is currently au pairing in Paris, is sharing how to be an awesome au pair without losing your sanity (easier said than done!). Taking care of young children is very hard and often frustrating work, but there are certainly tactics to make it easier. You unlock the front door with the kids … Read more
Today we’re hearing from Edna, one of my best friends who has been working around the world since 2008. We met back in 2012 when we were both living in Paris and have been friends ever since! Although Edna and I lived in Paris at the same time, we had fairly different jobs. Edna worked as a … Read more
Figuring out what belongs on your au pair packing list can be daunting. You want to make sure you have everything you’ll need, but you don’t want to overpack either. The key to packing for au pairing is versatility – an au pair packing list should be versatile above all else. (Comfort and style are … Read more
Today we’re hearing from Phoebe, an American travel blogger (and fellow Midwesterner!) who au paired in Sydney, Australia last year. Hearing about her experience in Australia made me green with envy- it sounds pretty glamorous! Read on to hear about what a day in the life of an American au pair in Australia is really … Read more
Today we we’re hearing from Agnieszka, a young Polish woman who fell in love with (and married!) her divorced host dad. Here, I ask her what it was like to be a young au pair who married her host dad. When did you realize you had a connection with your host dad? It depends on … Read more
Over the years I’ve become an increasingly adventurous traveler. I’ve gone canyoning in Vietnam, hiked the most active volcano in Bali, dived with sharks in Indonesia, paraglided in the Swiss Alps and endured a ten-day trek in the Himalayas. Not bad for a girl who used to be terrified of swimming pools. So I was pleased to … Read more
Today we’re kicking off my new series Au Pair Horror Stories by hearing from Scottish au pair, Karina. Karina, 24, decided to leave her host family in Venice after only 2.5 months. Karina’s story is a reminder that it’s important to know your rights as an au pair. As Karina’s experience shows, some families will … Read more